Anacortes Police worked on a number of drunken driving cases last week, but the most interesting one involved a driver who drove through the middle of the roundabout at the Highway 20 intersection with Commercial Ave. Read on...
Saturday, February 27
A 25-year-old Des Moines man was arrested for drunk driving after he drove his car through the middle of the roundabout on Commercial Avenue and damaged the landscaping. As a result of the accident, a tire on the car blew, it leaked fluid, and the airbags deployed. The driver was still seated in the car when the officer arrived and he told the officer that he had “way too much to drink.” The man smelled strongly of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes, and very poor balance when he exited the car. Several partially full bottles of liquor were found inside of the man’s car. The man performed field sobriety tests even though he said that he would “fail” them, and he did fail. The man was processed for drunk driving and provided breath samples that were nearly three times the legal limit. He was booked into jail for DUI.
Officers responded to the report of a one-car accident with a vehicle in a ditch at Sharpes Corner with the driver running on foot from the scene. An officer located a 35-year-old Anacortes man limping on State Route 20 a short time later who matched the description of the driver provided by witnesses. The man screamed several profanities at the officer, but then admitted he had been using cocaine and marijuana. The man had severe burns on his leg from steaming liquid from the engine splashing onto him as the result of the accident. The man was transported to the local emergency room where it was determined his burns were severe enough that he had to be airlifted to Harborview Hospital. The man did consent to giving a blood sample and faces possible charges of driving under the influence upon analysis of his blood.
Sunday, February 28
A resident of the 1100 block of I Avenue called police and said that a 41-year-old man who had been staying a few days was refusing to leave. The man also had a warrant for his arrest for DUI after being previously arrested by the Washington State Patrol. The man was contacted near the home and taken into custody on the warrant. The officer located a marijuana smoking pipe on the man during a search incident to his arrest. The man was issued a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia and released after the jail refused to accept him for booking on the warrant.
An officer stopped a car driven by a 30-year-old Mount Vernon man for spinning its tires and speeding on Oakes Avenue. The driver’s speech was slurred and the officer saw a couple of cases of beer inside of the car that was occupied by three other passengers. The man admitted he had a “couple earlier” but that he was the “designated driver.” The man failed field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest for drunk driving. He was taken to the police station where he then said that he had “four” beers and he provided breath samples that were two and a half times the legal limit. He was booked in to jail for DUI.
Officers responded to a home in the 1300 block of H Avenue regarding the report that a woman was beating up on another woman. It was learned that a confrontation between the two ensued after one woman, a 52-year-old Anacortes resident, had been at the home breaking and damaging several items in and outside of the house. When the other woman, a 23-year-old Anacortes resident, arrived with a man who lived at the home and had been in a dating relationship with the older woman, the older woman allegedly scratched and punched the younger woman in the face. The older woman said that she was mad because the man had been “spending too much time” with the younger woman. The older woman was booked into jail for domestic violence malicious mischief and assaulting the other woman.
An 18-year-old Anacortes man was arrested for underage drinking after an officer contacted him while he was walking in the 1100 block of 15th Street. The officer had contacted the teen to speak with him about his possible involvement in damaging a stop sign. The officer smelled intoxicants on the man and when asked about the odor, the man became very profane and vulgarly verbally abusive towards the officer. The man was placed under arrest for MIP. He screamed that he was not drunk, but had “one beer.” He was cited for MIP and then given a courtesy ride home.
Another 18-year-old Anacortes man that was believed to have been in the company of the man mentioned above was contacted in the 1200 block of 15th Street. The man smelled of intoxicants, was very unsteady on his feet and almost fell over, and had very slurred speech. He told the officer “I’ve been drinking but I’m not drunk.” He provided a portable breath test that indicated he was over twice the legal limit if had been driving a car. He was issued a citation for MIP and transported home.
Monday, March 1
A 15-year-old High School student was referred to juvenile court on theft charges after school officials found an I-Pod stolen from another student in the boy’s backpack. The boy admitted that he had stolen the device from the others student’s locker.
An off-duty police officer who was jogging near Rotary Park smelled marijuana as she neared a group of 6 teenaged boys. The officer also observed what appeared to be the boys passing a marijuana cigarette among them. The officer stopped and identified herself and walked the boys down the path to where a uniformed officer was waiting. All of the teens admitted that they had been smoking marijuana, but only one 18-year-old was found to have marijuana in his possession. He was cited for possession of marijuana and released. The other teens were all 17 years old and their parents were advised of their behavior.
A 25-year-old Anacortes man was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia after he was contacted inside of a vehicle that was parked at the skatepark after hours. The car had smelled strongly of burnt marijuana and the man handed the officer a marijuana smoking pipe when he was asked about the odor. The man said that there was no marijuana left in the car and none was found.
Tuesday, March 2
Black spray painted graffiti was discovered on a garage in the 2000 block of N Avenue. The damage was estimated at $100.
A 41-year-old man was sent a citation for violating a court order after he allegedly telephoned his former girlfriend at her residence in the 900 block of 23rd Street. The phone call violated terms of the Superior Court order which prohibited the man from having any intentional contact with the woman.
Two teenaged girls found 6 small bones and a broken filet knife on the rocks at the shoreline in the 100 block of U Avenue. It is unknown at this time if the bones are human or animal. The matter is under further investigation.
Wednesday, March 3
Officers contacted a 46-year-old man at his home in the 1500 block of 13th Street after it was reported the man was on his porch yelling about being “at war with the mafia.” The man yelled that he believed an officer was “a demon that came to take his blood.” Officers were familiar with the man and his mental health history and took him into protective custody while he continued to scream and yell. He was taken to the hospital for evaluation and treatment.
An officer stopped a car in the 1800 block of 37th Street after he recognized the driver as a 37-year-old Anacortes man whom the officer knew had a suspended driver’s license and two warrants for his arrest. The warrants were for previous charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia and driving while suspended. The man was cited for the new suspended driving offense and given new court dates on the warrants as the jail would not accept him for booking.
Anacortes Police stopped a car in the 1600 block of 32nd Street as it was the suspect vehicle in a shoplifting incident that had occurred at a department store in Burlington a short time earlier. A male and female in the car had allegedly stolen numerous articles of baby clothing and a men’s jacket. Officers identified the occupants of the car as a 30-year-old Anacortes man and his 24-year-old wife. The stolen clothing was located inside of the car and both the man and woman admitted that they had shoplifted at the Burlington store. A Burlington Police officer arrived and cited the couple for theft. The man was also cited by an Anacortes officer for driving with a suspended license.
A 17-year-old High School student who was jogging with other members of the cross country team in the community forest lands was bitten on the forearm by a dog that was passing by on the narrow trail. The bite did puncture the girl’s skin. The dog had been on a leash at the time, but the girl was not able to avoid the animal lunging at her. The dog owner identified herself, but was allegedly unapologetic about her dog’s behavior. Animal Control will be following up on vaccination and licensing information on the dog.
An 18-year-old Fidalgo Island man reported to police that he had met two teenaged males near 17th Street and O Avenue to buy marijuana. The man complained that the teens took his $20, but didn’t give him any marijuana. The man admitted that he had a “pipe” with him and a socket containing burnt marijuana residue was found in his pocket. The man was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia and released.
An officer stopped a vehicle in a parking lot near the high school gymnasium at around midnight after it had failed to stop at a stop sign and to check on why it was at the school at that hour. The driver was identified as a 21-year-old Anacortes man who smelled of alcohol, had slurred speech, and bloodshot eyes. The man said that he had a couple of beers earlier at a local casino. The man handed the officer a credit card as he believed it was his driver’s license. The man failed field sobriety tests and had very poor balance and he admitted that he “had too much to drink.” He was arrested for drunk driving and later provided breath samples that were over twice the legal limit. He was issued a citation for DUI and released to a sober friend.
Thursday, March 4
A high school official who was speaking with a 17-year-old student at the school smelled the odor of marijuana on the student. School officials searched the student’s backpack and located a small amount of marijuana and a partially eaten apple that had been fashioned into a pipe to smoke the marijuana. The student was referred to juvenile court on charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
A Stihl brand chainsaw valued at $300 was stolen from an unlocked shed in the 3400 block of D Avenue.
Officers were dispatched to an assault that had just occurred at 4th Street and O Avenue in which a 20-year-old Anacortes man had reportedly been hit several times in the head with a skateboard and then kicked in the head while on the ground. The suspect then fled the scene on foot. The victim was transported to the emergency room with bruising to his head, but it was unknown if he suffered any internal injuries. The victim said that he did not remember much about the assault, but that the suspect had approached him and said something about the victim “making a bad name for himself.” The victim provided a first name for the suspect. Witnesses saw the suspect strike the victim in the head with a skateboard and provided a description of the suspect. Police believe they know the identity of the suspect and the assault is under further investigation.
Police are looking to contact a 26-year-old Hope Island man after he allegedly stole a case of beer from a store in the 900 block of 11th Street. Employees watched the man leave the store without paying for the beer, and when they contacted him in the parking lot, the man threw the beer into a pickup and drove away. The employee obtained the license number for the pickup.
Friday, March 5
Unknown vandals overturned outdoor tables, overturned and damaged several planter boxes, knocked over newspaper vending machines, and tossed a metal can into the street in the area of the 500 block of Commercial Avenue. Police were able to put most of the items back in place.
An officer stopped a car in the 1000 block of 29th Street for speeding on Commercial Avenue. The driver, a 40-year-old Anacortes man, smelled of intoxicants, had watery bloodshot eyes, and slurred speech. The man said that he had “two sips” of beer at a friend’s house and a can of beer at another friend’s house. The man failed field sobriety tests and was arrested for drunk driving. He was taken to the police station for processing where he admitted he had drunk a lot more than he initially admitted. He provided breath samples that were over one and a half times the legal limit. He was issued a citation for DUI and released.